European champions Spain were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a World Cup warm-up match on Friday, with up to 10 players omitted due to fitness concerns. Manager Luis de la Fuente adopted an ultra-cautious approach in A Coruna, resting several key players before their final friendly against Peru in Puebla, Mexico, on Monday.
Key Players Rested
De la Fuente left out Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, David Raya, Victor Munoz, Marc Cucurella, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Rodri, and Mikel Oyarzabal. This gave opportunities to backup players, but they failed to make a significant impact.
Match Summary
The result was a subdued send-off for Spain on home soil before they travel to North America on Friday. They will begin their World Cup campaign in Group H against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Spain struggled to break down an organized Iraq side, whose compact low block denied the hosts the rhythm that carried them to the 2024 European Championship title in Germany.
Spain took the lead in the 16th minute through a quick counter-attack. Ferran Torres burst through the middle from midfield into the box before firing past the goalkeeper. Iraq equalized in the 27th minute through Merchas Doski with a superb left-footed strike from a difficult angle on the left edge of the box. The ball arced over Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who was slightly off his line, and dropped into the net.
Torres struck the crossbar in the 40th minute, but Spain found clear openings hard to come by against disciplined opponents. Iraq will play only their second World Cup in Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway.
